Moving day: how to make it less stressful

Moving House

Although moving home can be a stressful experience, there are several ways to make the big day more painless. One of the biggest worries for many home-movers is the risk of damage to possessions. That's where moving home insurance can really help. If you're moving to a new house within the British Isles, we cover all accidental damage or loss to your contents while a professional removal firm is moving them, as part of our standard home contents insurance policy. This includes your goods within both properties and during the move.

Moving house checklist

That's one big worry out of the way. And to ensure the day goes as smoothly as possible, here's our 10-point guide to a stress-free moving day.

When making a home insurance claim you may need to supply any of the following:

• 1. First, in the weeks leading up to the move, get rid of everything you don't want. Sell goods through the small ads or online, use an online recycling scheme like Freecycle, contact a local charity shop (which may collect goods from your home) or simply pile up unwanted items in the living room and invite friends around to take what they like - in return for bringing over some wine and pizza!



• 2. Pack and clean as much as possible ahead of the moving day. Items you don't need on a daily basis can be packed far in advance and stored in a corner. Start the process of cleaning as far ahead as possible too, so you're not panic-cleaning when you should be locking up and moving on.



• 3. If possible, empty and clean whole rooms ahead of time, then shut the door on those rooms and they're done with. The fewer rooms you're left to 'de-occupy' on moving day, the easier the job will be.



• 4. Write everything down as you pack. Each box needs a clear written list of what is inside, and you need to know which room the box should be put in when unloading.



• 5. Fill luggage up with clothing. Luggage is designed to be easy to carry, as well as being strong and unlikely to break, even when stuffed full of clothes.



• 6. Hide valuables and pre-pack them discreetly. Take the time to properly protect precious items that are fragile with bubble wrap or old newspaper - some things are irreplaceable, even if they are covered by moving insurance.



• 7. Get the family involved with the packing, especially allowing kids to pack a box each of their own 'precious' things. Even if most children's toys have to go in with adult possessions, it may help to get them packing a box to take their minds off the stress of moving.



• 8. Keep all your important documents with you at all times and carry them personally to your new home. This includes deeds and ownership documents or tenancy agreements, as well as your financial documents and items like passports, driving licences and birth certificates.



• 9. Very few people unpack everything on the first day in a new home, but you'll still need to eat, drink and sleep comfortably. So knowing where items such as duvets and saucepans are can be a real help. At the very least, pack a box for your kitchen with kettle, tea and coffee, a couple of mugs and plates and some cutlery.



• 10. Make life as simple for the removals firm as possible. Make sure your entrance is clear and the neighbours know a van is coming, provide refreshments for everyone and lock up your pets if they're going to cause a problem.